Tag: Bell ringers

Through the generosity of a grant from Jackson National Life, Helping Hands Respite Care continues to make inroads in music therapy for the Adult Day Services (ADS) program. We have always understood the importance of music in the lives or our clients. Music can be the bridge to their past lives and buried memories.

We have two music therapists from Michigan State University who are coming in to work with our clients on a weekly basis. Having two therapists allows us to rotate the day of music therapy so everybody can be exposed to music therapy occasionally even if they only come to the center a few days per week.

This gift of music is opening up some of our clients that are in the more advanced stages of dementia. These little victories through music improve the quality of the client experience at Helping Hands Respite Care. We are seeing increased communication among participants and a deepening of friendships and relationships. To see a light in the eyes of a client as they respond to music just makes our day!

There are two music bell sets that we have had here at Helping Hands Respite Care for a long time. Our new music therapists have taken these bells and created a velvet platform with color coded bell symbols (cut-out by our clients) that can be organized to make a guide for clients so they can actually make music or play a familiar tune. Maybe someday we will be sending our Bell Ringers Ensemble out to other locations to perform.